Auto window garnish mold cover



Ap 1950 H. F. STRICKLAND AUTO WINDOW GARNIISH MOLD COVER Fil ed March 17, 1948 IN V EN TOR. I. Z' 'frz'cisi'and BY 5f My 4 Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTO wmnow oaamsn MOLD COVER Hector F. Strickland, Macon, Ga. Application March 11, ms, Serial No. 15,393 4 came (CL 296-44) 1 The present invention relates to improvements in auto window garnish mold covers and is a continuation-in-part of my similarly entitled application filed February 19, 1947, Serial No. 729,430.

In common with the objects of my prior application aforesaid, it is the purpose of the present invention to provide a garnish mold cover adapted to be placed over the factory made conventional window garnish mold which extends along the lower window sill edge of automobile window frames with the object of providing a readily interchangeable mold cover for being snapped over "the conventional garnish mold when the same has become worn. discolored or suffered loss of its paint or other finish, and. whereby also the mold cover may be fltted over the conventional garnish mold when new in order to protect the same from the says of the sun which are apt to crack and peel the paint or finish and thus expose the underlying metal to the corrosive action of the oxygen of the atmosphere.

Another object of the invention is to providean improved auto window garnish mold cover. in which such cover will obscure unsightly rust, protect occupants sleeves when resting on door window sills, and lend added attraction and decorative door and window trim.

A further object of the invention resides inproviding an interchangeable garnish mold cover so constructed that it may be applied to the windows on either side of the vehicle and so constructed and arranged that the same will snap on substantially instantaneously over the, customary manufactured garnish mold? a A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved interchangeable auto window garnish mold cover which may be made from standard gage spring brass rolled in a tube-like form, chromium plated, and given an initial set or form whereby the same may be quickly applied with a spring snap upon the regular manufactured garnish mold. l...

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter and more particularl pointedout in the appended claims. a

In the drawings. in which like parts are denoted by the same reference characters throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a vehicle equipped with an improved auto window garnish mold cover constructed in accordance with the present invention;

2 Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view taken on an enlarged scale along the line 2-2 in Figure 1; and I Figure 3 is a perspective view of the improved garnish mold cover apart from the vehicle.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the garnish mold cover on an enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, It designates generally an automobile having a window H with a vertically movable glass it operating in the usual slot made between the outside body member l3 and the internal door panel it which is covered with upholstery I5 as indicated particularly in Figure 2.

The conventional or regular garnish mold is indicated at it. It is unnecessary to make any modification in this factory made garnish mold It. This garnish mold i6 is, for convenience of illustration, shown to be of a form currently included'in Ford automobiles, and it is transverselycurved so as to fit over the inner upper corner portion of the door panel i4 and has an upper portion extending substantially all the way across the upper transverse edge of the door panel it and also has an extended portion lying downwardly a substantial distance from the upper inner edge of the door panel down along the in 'terior face thereof.

This factory made garnish mold It has a sub-- stantially vertical flange ll turned inwardly with respect to the concave side of the mold i6 and extending down to the upholstery on the outer upper edge of the door panel ll. An inwardly turned and curled flange i8 is made along the inner lower longitudinal edge of the factory 'made' mold IS in order. to lie close against the upholstery I! while preventing no sharp edges thrdughor to the interior surface of the mold. v

A V-shaped inwardly crimped portion 19 is made in the mold it between its intermediate part and the lower inner flange Hi. This crimp is substantially V-shaped in cross section with the inner portion thereof extending close to the up-- holstery ii.

In accordance with the, present invention, a mold cover is provided consisting of a resilient strip 20, curved transversely to conform generally to the curvature of the standard garnish mold It.

The cover strip 20 spans substantially the entire width of the upper edge of the door panel I4 and also extends down a substantial distance over the inside face of such door panel, being made in a convex curve about the inner upper corner of the door panel ll. The external upper edge of the cover strip 20 is turned down from the curved body l6 to constitute an upper longitudinal edge flange 2| which is substantially upright but may be at a substantially right angle. From an inspection of Figure 3 it will be clear that the upper flange 2| occupies only the intermediate portion of the strip 20 and the upper edge of the strip 20 for a distance inwardly of the ends thereof is flangeless. In other words, the end portions of the upper edge are both devoid of any flange and the flange 2| only extends over the intermediate portion of the length of the strip 20. At the flangeless end portions of the upper edge the strip is bent angularly inward with reference to the concave side of the laterally rounded strip 20 and flattened as indicated at 22 and 23. The mold cover strip 20 is generally rounded from upper end 2|, 22 and 23 and is made of a size to encompass the standard mold I! as indicated in Figure 2. -This mold cover strip is preferably made of metal or some other material possessing inherent elasticity. v

The cover strip 20 is longitudinally crimped as indicated at 24 in alignment with the V-shaped inwardly crimped portion of the standard mold l6 "whereby to lie in contact therewith. Extending oil this crimped section 24 at the lower edge of the strip 20 is a channel flange formed by the substantially parallel walls 25 and 26 and the bottom wall 21; these walls adapted to conform rather closely to the 'beaded lower edge l8 of the standard mold 6. In fact the wall 26 might be bent slightly inward toward the wall 25 to form an interlocking flt with the inner flange l8 of the standard mold l6 as shown in Figure 2.

.The mold strip 20 is given an initial bend whereby the flanges 26, 26 and 21 are separated by a somewhat shorter distance than the flanges I! and I8 of the standard mold l6. In this way the outer flange 2| will snap over the included flange I1 and the flange wall 26 will snap over the included flange l8 when pressure is put upon the intermediate bowed portion of the outer mold cover strip 20. The relative mutual formation of the flanges l1, 2| and I8, 26 is such as to cause these flanges to interlockingly engage when snapped in place, the engagement being retained by the stress inherent in the material of the cover strip 20 tending to regain its shape after being put under the strain of snapping into place. The mold cover strip 20 will be slightly spread and held in the slightly spread condition when in place as shown in Figure 2. Its tendency to elastically contract will cause its flanges 2|, 26 to hug the outer'faces of the complemental flanges- |8 of the standard mold I6. As a matter of ard mold at the inner edge except in essential make it possible to reverse the strip 20 end for end and therefore the strip may be placed on the windows on either side of the car. This enables a single form of strip to be made which is applicable to all window sills of the car. This also enables one set of dies to be made for the manufacture of the device. In other words this interchangeability reduces cost of dies and cost of the metal and facilitates the installation.

The mold cover strip 20 extends longitudinally in a straight line and is of a length to encompass the horizontal straight line portion of the lower sill of the window frame. In other words this cover strip 20 does not extend to the curved portions of the window frame at the ends of the The ends of the strip ll to enable, the inner to be longer than the This enables me to take advantage of the greater length of thestraight line are curved as indicated at thereof.

It will be appreciated that the improved device is interchangeable from one model to another and from one make automobile to another without involving any basic change in construction and non-essential lengths and i widths. -.The' convex-side of the cover strip 26 represents the finished side of the mold. This fact, the flange wall 26 at the inner lower end of the cover strip 20 will extend upwardly toward the flange 2| at approximately a 45 angle to the vertical.

The standard mold It becomes an anchorage to which to apply the improved mold cover 26.

It will be noted that there is no squeaking noise possible incident to vibration in the mold cover.

The improved mold cover 20 is made inter-' changeable by the flangeless upper edge portions 22 and 23. These edges are straight and are preferably polished. The flangeless end portions may be chromiumflnished brass or it may be of stainless steelor other desired material. Once the finish has been produced in a polished eflect the same will :never require refinishing in a lifetime. The materials used heretofore in the art have required repainting, rebufilng and polishing as the surface wears ofl, cracks or' rust-s.

It will be understood that the flange 26 hooks upwardly beneath the edges l8 extending along a line forming approximately a 45 angle with the vertical plane defined by the wall of the flange 2 I, thereby causing no pressure against quarter panel cover l6. If such pressure existed at the point 2|, it would be damaging to the fabric IS.

The V-crimp l9 has been added horizontally alongthe lower edge for the purpose of strengthening and retaining resiliency in the embodiment of he mold cover. i

Wh'ileI have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known to me at the present time, I desire it to be understood that I reserve the right to make changes and modifications in the herein described embodiment of the invention pr vided such changes fall within the'scope of t following'claims. u

What I claim is:

1. For use with the conventional auto window garnish mold extending along the lower window sill of a vehicle window frame a garnish mold cover comprising a transversely bowed resilient strip having an inner lower edge and an upper outer edge, said strip having. a flange along its inner lower edge and' a flange along its upper outer edge extending only along the intermediate portion of the cover with the end portions oi" the coverdevoid of flanges at both ends to enable the mold cover to be reversed end for-end for interchangeability for fitting the right'and left win- 22 and 23 are for the purpose of fitting under the 7 rubber Weatherstrip below the vent glass 29. A

pivot 3|! for the vent glass is carried on the outer edge of the door panel I4 and extends'upin slightly spaced relation from the standardmold |6 so that sufiicient space therebeneath is permitted to allow the cover strip 26 to be inserted therebeneath. The straight edges 22 and 23 dows of the vehicle, said upper outer edge flange adapted to clip over the top edge of said garnish mold and said inner lower flange adapted to clip over the bottom of said garnish mold, said flanges being spaced apart in unsprung condition a shorter distance than the distance between the top and bottom of the garnish'mold to enable the cover to be sprung over the garnish mold with the portions of the stand- I opposed flanges interlocking with the longitudinal edge portions of the garnish mold.

2. For use with the conventional auto window garnish mold extending along the lower window sill of a vehicle window frame, a garnish mold cover comprising a transversely bowed resilient strip having an inner lower edge and an upper outer edge, said strip having a flange along its inner lower edge and a flange along its upper outer edge extending only along the intermediate portion ofthe cover with the upper end portions of the cover devoid of flanges at both ends to enable the mold cover to be reversed end for end for interchangeability for fitting the right and left windows of the vehicle, said upper outer edge flange adapted to clip over the top edge of said garnish mold and said inner lower flange adapted 6 tance between opposite longitudinal edges of the garnish mold whereby the strip may be snapped in place over the garnish mold, and said lower flange being trough-shaped and made up of substantially parallel walls with a curved bottom v wall joining the same.

to clip over the bottom of said garnish mold to Y enable the cover to be sprung over the ordinary garnish mold with the opposed flanges interlocking with the longitudinal edge portions of the conventional garnish mold, the length of said cover being approximately the straight line horizontal length of the conventional window sill garnish mold with its bottom longitudinal edge and adjacent portions extending to a greater length than the upper outer portion of the cover.

3. For use with an automobile ;window frame having a glass vent pivoted therein with a weatherstrip below the vent and a conventional gar- 4. For use with an automobile window frame having a glass vent pivoted therein with a weatherstrip below the vent and a conventional garnish mold extending along the lower edged the window frame and beneath the Weatherstrip, a cover for the garnish mold comprising a resilient strip transversely bowed and having a flange along its upper longitudinal edge only at its intermediate ortion leaving flangeless upper edge portions which are flattened and adapted to be interchangeably inserted beneath the Weatherstrip, said strip also having a lower edge flange, said flanges being separated in the unsprung condition of the strip a lesser distance apart than the opposite longitudinal edges of the garnish mold whereby the strip may be snapped in place over the garnish mold, and said lower flange being trough-shaped and made up of substantially parallel walls with a curved bottom wall joining the same, the ends of said cover strip being curved and the upper flange extending substantially vertically and the lower flange wall extending at apnish mold extending along the lower edge of the windo, frame and beneath the Weatherstrip, a cover r the garnish mold comprising a resilient strip transversely bowed and having a flange along its upper longitudinal edge only at its intermediate portion leaving flangeless upper edge portions which are flattened and adapted to be interchangeably inserted beneath the Weatherstrip,

said strip also having a lower edge flange, said flanges being separated in the unsprung condition of the strip a lesser distance apart than the diaproximately 45 to the part from which it is bent.

HECTOR F. STRICKLAND.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Reid Apr. 14, 1943 

